If Bonds used steroids, fans are split on records
March 14, 2006, Times Leader.com
Baseball Notable
U.S. baseball fans are divided over whether Barry Bonds' batting records should be erased if the sport's officials conclude that he took steroids, a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll found.
Fifty-two percent of the fans surveyed said Bonds' records, including his single-season home run mark of 73, should be erased if baseball officials find that he used performance-enhancing drugs. Forty-four percent said the San Francisco Giants' slugger should keep his records, and 4 percent had no opinion.
The poll of 478 people who said they were fans of professional baseball was conducted from Friday to Sunday. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
Last week, Sports Illustrated published excerpts from a new book that alleges Bonds began using steroids in 1998. The book, Game of Shadows, provided what the authors said were detailed lists of performance-enhancing substances and the methods Bonds used to take them. Bonds has denied knowingly using steroids.
Athletics. With the Chicago White Sox visiting Phoenix yesterday to play Oakland in an exhibition game, Frank Thomas kept his mouth shut about his former team. Sort of.
"I'm going to be honest," the A's slugger said. "I've got nothing to say about the White Sox. Frank has left the building."
Thomas had already made it clear he wasn't happy about the way his 16-year run ended, claiming the White Sox portrayed him as an injured player even though he is fine. He had criticized owner Jerry Reinsdorf for not calling him before the White Sox decided to part with the two-time MVP, saying they treated him like a "passing-by player" and "I've got no respect for that." The White Sox bought him out for $3.5 million.
Yesterday, Thomas had nothing critical to say. "There are no hard feelings with my teammates over there," he said. "They're friends and family forever. That won't change."
Cubs.Chicago acquired lefthander Clint Brannon, completing a deal that sent righthander Jon Leicester to the Texas Rangers in November. Brannon was 9-7 with a 4.45 ERA in 29 games for single-A Bakersfield last season.
Mets. Reliever Juan Padilla will miss the season because of a right elbow injury. The righthander is scheduled to have Tommy John surgery today.
Pirates. Lefthanded relief pitcher Mike Johnston, who gained national attention by overcoming Tourette's syndrome to pitch in the major leagues, was among Pittsburgh's first cuts of the spring.
Johnston was optioned to triple-A Indianapolis along with righthanders Jonah Bayliss and Josh Sharpless.
Rangers. Texas righthander Josh Rupe was sent back to Arlington after feeling soreness in his pitching elbow.
Rupe pitched 31/3 innings Sunday against the Seattle Mariners in a Cactus League game in Arizona. He is expected to have an MRI exam today.
TV deal. Major League Baseball agreed to a five-year contract with the Europe-based North American Sports Network to televise about 275 games live each season.
NASN gained rights to the All-Star Game, the playoffs and the World Series. The subscription network, based in Dublin, Ireland, broadcasts in Britain, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Iceland and the Netherlands. The deal is valued at $18 million to $20 million, according to Sports Business Journal.
